USE OF THE COMPUTER SIMULATION METHOD IN THE STUDY OF THE CAR FLOW EQUIPPED WITH AERODYNAMIC ELEMENTS

Abstract

The task of giving the car body the optimal shape from the point of aerodynamics view remains relevant from the time of the first cars to the present day. Modern cars must meet a number of requirements, both in performance terms and in design terms. The appearance of the car is determined primarily by the shape of its body. In an effort to make the vehicle's exterior unique, car owners often use body tuning elements that can be installed and sometimes even made by hand. The most popular exterior "decorations" of the car are spoilers and fenders. But the installation of such parts as design elements must be technically justified. The purpose of the aerodynamic parts of the body is the correct distribution of air flow during movement. This means minimizing the impact of the environment on fuel consumption by increasing the fluidity of the form and most importantly - increasing the stability of the car, especially when cornering.

At the design stage of the vehicle, depending on its purpose, layout, power and speed characteristics, the shape and design of the body is developed. In addition to design parameters, also take into account the action of external perturbations, the main of which is the wind load. The greatest wind load is perceived by the body part of the car, so the obligatory production stage is the study of its aerodynamic characteristics. The determining parameter for aerodynamic research is the value of the flow coefficient, which depends on the shape. Depending on the type of body and the purpose of the vehicle, certain limit values of this factor are set, the excess of which leads to the deterioration of performance. It is known that computer simulation has now become a common method of studying car aerodynamics.

This article considers the capabilities of the software product Autodesk Flow Design in the study of the smoothness of the car equipped with auxiliary aerodynamic elements.

Key words: aerodynamics, computer simulation, Autodesk Flow Design, spoiler, wing, flow coefficient.